Airline Lufthansa announces introduction of AI to decrease onboard waste
Lufthansa Group Embraces Digital Innovation for Sustainable Aviation
The Lufthansa Group is making significant strides in reducing waste and lowering its carbon footprint, thanks to a series of digital innovations. One such innovation is the Tray Tracker, a technology that analyses leftover food on flights to determine if dishes were consumed fully, partially, or not at all.
First implemented in Frankfurt and Munich, the Tray Tracker is set to roll out across the Lufthansa Group in the future. Passengers on short and medium-haul flights with Lufthansa, SWISS, and Austrian Airlines can now pre-select their meals, helping with planning and avoiding overproduction.
Lufthansa is not just working alone; it collaborates with environmental organizations, logistics experts, technology partners, and industry stakeholders to develop sustainable waste reduction measures and optimize loading planning.
Besides the Tray Tracker, the Lufthansa Innovation Hub has initiated a project called 'Pendle'. Using Machine Learning, Pendle predicts the optimal loading of flights with catering products. An algorithm calculates likely demand on board based on factors such as flight route, flight duration, and previous consumption behavior. The goal of the Pendle project is to avoid overproduction while ensuring adequate supply for passengers.
Data gathered from the Tray Tracker allows Lufthansa Catering to adjust portion sizes and menu offerings to actual demand, reducing waste and aircraft weight, thereby lowering CO2 emissions.
The long-term vision is a combination of the Tray Tracker and Pendle, with Tray Tracker providing waste data and Pendle predicting demand, creating a smart cycle that combines efficiency and sustainability.
Lufthansa Group is also committed to replacing single-use plastic and aluminum products with more sustainable alternatives. A third of the relevant onboard items have already been switched to more sustainable alternatives since 2022.
Outside the editorial office, Dominik Lelle, a member of the online editorial team of AERO INTERNATIONAL since 2023, is a passionate traveler. He feels the same enthusiasm as the first time every time he boards a plane and is passionate about making the world of aviation tangible and exciting for readers.
Even on the last flight of the day, where fresh products are sold at reduced prices as a 'to go' offer, contributes to waste avoidance. On intercontinental flights, the main course can be selected before departure in the premium class.
The implementation of these digital innovations, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI), marks a significant step towards a more sustainable aviation industry for the Lufthansa Group.
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